Impact of a colposcopy satellite clinic.
A community educational program and the introduction of a colposcope in Decatur, Alabama, led to a dramatic decrease in the relative percent of patients evaluated by conization after a positive Pap smear, and a corresponding increase in the relative percent of colposcopic evaluations. The percent of negative or dysplastic tissue diagnoses from conization was reduced from 78% before the colposcopy program to 61% after the program. It was estimated that the colposcopy program resulted in an 81% reduction in the number of conizations and that colposcopy used in lieu of conization resulted in a substantial reduction in both morbidity and cost.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000407:Alabama; D001706:Biopsy; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology; D003127:Colposcopy / Q000191:economics; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014626:Vaginal Smears